Facile loading repeating firearm

ABSTRACT

A side loading firearm is provided with a mechanism associated with a tubular magazine beneath the barrel and a side loading opening which functions to insure that there is always a cartridge visible through the opening when the gun is loaded to capacity but that the loading opening is always free for quick reloading whenever there is room in the magazine or the receiver for one or more cartridges. The mechanism includes a carrier member for lifting cartridges from the loading aperture up and into the chamber of the firearm in combination with a plurality of latch and stop means cooperatively adapted to control the timing of the carrier member with respect to the ejection and loading movements of the breech bolt.

United States Patent [191 Browning Nov. 18, 1975 FACILE LOADINGREPEATING FIREARM [75] Inventor: Val A. Browning, Ogden, Utah [73]Assignee: Browning Arms Company, Morgan,

Utah

[22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1974 [21] Appl. N0.: 447,159

[52] US. Cl. 42/17 [51] Int. Cl. F4lC 13/00 [58] Field of Search 42/17,21

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,481,042 1/1924 Walther etal. 42/17 2,278,589 4/1942 Rutherford i 42/17 2,480,017 8/1949 Green...t 42/21 2,586,509 2/1952 Browning 42/17 2,887,808 5/1959 .lanson etal..... 42/17 3,171,225 3/1965 Green et al. 42/17 Primary ExaminerVerlinR. Pendegrass Assistant ExaminerC. T. Jordan Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Trask & Britt [57] ABSTRACT A side loading firearm is provided witha mechanism associated with a tubular magazine beneath the barrel and aside loading opening which functions to insure that there is always acartridge visible through the opening when the gun is loaded to capacitybut that the loading opening is always free for quick reloading wheneverthere is room in the magazine or the receiver for one or morecartridges. The mechanism includes a carrier member for liftingcartridges from the loading aperture up and into the chamber of thefirearm in combination with a plurality of latch and stop meanscooperatively adapted to control the timing of the carrier member withrespect to the ejection and loading movements of the breech bolt.

4 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures US. Patent N0v.18, 1975 Sheet10f3 3,919,800

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,919,800

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet30f3 3,919,800

H. lfifimiiiiiiii FACILE LOADING REPEATING FIREARM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field:

This invention relates to side loading fire-arms and provides a facileloading mechnism for such firearms whereby loading may be accomplishedwhether or not a cartridge is positioned within the side loadingaperture. Although the invention is generally applicable to repeatingfirearms, whether the firearm in question has a manual or automaticaction, it is particularly directed to use with shotguns, ideally thosewith semi-automatic, gas operated actions.

2. State of the Art:

Side loading of firearms is well known, especially in the case ofrifles. Similarly, gas operated, semiautomatic shotguns have long beenavailable. An example of a commercially successful automatic shotgun isthat disclosed generally in U.S. Pat. No. 659,507. The shotgun disclosedby that patent has a tubular magazine suspended beneath the barrel andadapted to store four standard cartridges in addition to the chamberedcartridge, giving the gun a total capacity of five shots. U.S. Pat. No.2,586,509 discloses and claims the double automatic shotgun having atotal capacity of two shots. The shotgun is loaded from the side of thereceiver and includes a carrier assembly adapted to lift a cartridgefrom the loading opening on the side to up behind the chamber forinsertion into the chamber upon ejection of the chambered shell.Although the side loading feature of that shotgun is advantageous fromthe standpoint of ease and speed of loading, the gun includes nomagazine for storage of additional cartridges. Accordingly, itsacceptance has been somewhat limited inspite of its advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides side loading andstorage capabilities not previously available for firarms equipped withtubular magazines. The invention includes a carrier mounted within thereceiver with a lowered position, beneath the loading aperture, and alifted position, to the proximity of the chamber. The carrierconstitutes means for carrying cartridges from the loading or bottomportion of the receiver to the upper or chamber portion of the receiver,all generally in conformity with the apparatus disclosed in theaforementioned U.S. Pat No. 2,586,509. According to this invention,however, the timing of the breech bolt and carrier are coordinated sothat the carrier starts to lift only when the breech boltis fullyopened; i.e., fully rear-ward in its loading position. Thus, the carrierremains in appropriate position to receive a shell during the entireduration required for the breech bolt to eject a spent cartridge inresponse to firing the gun. In this fashion, a cartridge may beautomatically loaded from the magazine onto the carrier while the bolttravels to the rear of the receiver and before the carrier lifts fromcartridge-receiving position. A tubular magazine suspended beneath thebarrel of the firearm in conven tional fashion is thereby permitted towork in cooperation with the side loading apparatus and without causinginterference with manual loading operations. A notable characteristic ofthis invention is its controlled timing of the cartridge storage andloading functions of the magazine and associated control elements.

Among the control elements associated with the magazine and carriermember is a latch mounted within the receiver and biased normally toretain the carrier member in its lowered position. The latch ispreferably located to the rear of the receiver and carrier, and in anyevent, is released by contact of a cartridge resting on the carriermember. An additional latch element holds the carrier in its loweredposition until the breech bolt is fully retracted. As a consequence, thecarrier member, once latched into its lowered position, will remain inthat lowered position except when both l the breech bolt is in itsloading position, and (2) A cartridge is actually located atop thecarrier member.

A second control element is a cartridge stop member mounted to dependfrom the breech bolt so that, when the breech bolt is in its battery orclosed position, the stop member constitutes means for retaining anycartridge stored in the magazine sufficiently far into the magazine thatthe loading aperture is unobstructed. That is, any cartridges storedwithin the magazine are restrained from projecting into the side loadingaperture so that there is room for another cartridge to be insertedthrough the aperture onto the carrier. A notable characteristic of themechanism of this invention is that the loading mechanism functionswhether or not a cartridge is stored on the carrier.

A third control element comprises a cartridge arrester. This element isassociated with the receiver, and is normally held in blocking positionto prevent cartridges stored in the magazine from entering the receiverwhen the carrier member is in its lifted position. That is only acartridge resting against the aforesaid stop member is permitted tofollow the bolt rearward beyond the arrester. Conventional meansassociated with the breech bolt eject a cartridge from the chamber whenthe breech bolt is moved from its battery position to its loadingposition, and other means associated with the breech bolt force thecarrier member into its lowered position when the breech bolt moves toits battery position. Means are also provided in association with thecartridge arrester and the breech bolt for moving the arrester away fromits blocking position in response to moving of the breech bolt tobattery position, thereby permitting a cartridge in the magazine to cometo rest against the cartridge stop member.

If a cartridge is at rest on the carrier when the breech bolt moves fromits battery to its loading position, any cartridges stored in themagazine remain behind the arrester. In that case, when the breech boltmoves to loading position, the cartridge on the carrier is loaded intothe chamber, and when the bolt closes, the last cartridge loaded intothe magazine is released to contact the cartridge stop member but doesnot advance to the carrier. Thus a cartridge may be inserted into theside loading aperture without interference. If no cartridge is at restatop the carrier member when the breach bolt moves to loading position,a cartridge follows the bolt and the stop means in their rearwardtravel. Accordingly, if a shot is fired before reloading, the cartridgeheld by the stop will follow the breech bolt to the rear onto thelowered carrier and come into contact with the carrier release latch,thereby causing the carrier to lift it into the elevation of the chamberfor loading into the chamber when the bolt returns to its batteryposition.

From the foregoing, it should be understood that when the gun is fullyloaded, a cartridge will be visible on the carrier through the sideloading aperture, but a cartridge will ordinarily not be visible in thisposition when the gun is in less than fully loaded condition. In eitherevent, however, automatic loading of cartridges from the magazine or thereceiver into the chamber in response to rearward motion of the bolt isidentical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which illustrate whatis presently regarded as the preferred mode for carrying out theinvention;

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a gas operated, semi-automaticshotgun embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation to a larger scale of the receiverportion of the same firearm rotated 180 and partially cut away to exposeselected internal structure;

FIG. 3 is a view to the same scale and similar to FIG. 2, but orientedthe same as FIG. 1 to show the opposite side of the receiver section ofthe firearm;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmental views in partial crosssection of thereceiver and trigger guard sections of the firearm taken generally alongthe centerline 4-4 of FIG. 3 but illustrating internal workingmechanisms in elevation;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary views of a portion of the internalmechanism showing the operation of the mechanism with cartridges loadedinto the magazine of the shotgun;

FIG. 10 is a fragmental view of selected components shown in FIGS. 4through 9, in the same plane and to the same scale as those figures;

FIG. 11 is a fragmental view in cross-section taken along the sectionline 1111 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 10 with portions of the mechanism removed;and

FIG. 13 is a fragmental view taken along the detail line l313 of FIG.12.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT As shown by the drawings, agas operated, semiautomatic shotgun 21 is assembled with its principalparts in more or less conventional arrangement. Thus, a tubular magazine22 is encased in a forearm 23 suspended beneath a barrel 24, and all ofthese elements are mounted forward of a receiver-trigger guard assembly,designated generally 25, which in turn is suspended from a stock 26. Aloading aperture 27 is provided through what may be regarded as the leftside of the receiver while a cartridge expelling port 28 is provided onthe opposite or right side of the receiver in line with the chamberedportion 29 of the barrel 24.

In loading the firearm of this invention, cartridges 35 are introducedone by one through the loading aperture 27 as shown in FIG. 3. FIGS. 4and 5 illustrate the firearm in receptive loading condition; i.e., withthe breech bolt 36 in its loading position. In this position, the breechbolt 36 is fully to the rear so that the breech 37 directly behind thechamber 29 is open. Referring to FIG. 3, a cartridge is shown partiallyinserted into the magazine 22 with the front end of the cartridge 35bearing against the maagazines spring follower 39 in conventionalfashion. The cartridge 35 may be pushed easily with the thumb againstthe base of the cartridge to about one-half to three-quarters lengthinto the magazine 22.

A carrier assembly, designated generally 44, is mounted within thereceiver to pivot on an axle 45 located above the trigger guard 46 froma lowered position (FIGS. 4 and 6) to a lifted position (FIG. 5). Acarrier latch 50 is mounted within the receiver and is biased normallyto retain the carrier 44 in its lowered position. It is positionedtowards the rear of the loading aperture 27 so that it may be forcedfrom its latching position by the base of a cartridge 35 at rest inloading position on the carrier (See FIG. 8).

Pulling the thumb away from the cartridge 35 and out of the openingpermits the cartridge to snap to the rear against the carrier releaselatch 50, thereby permitting the carrier to lift the cartridge up intothe breech of the receiver 37 behind the chamber 29. This action of thecarrier causes release of the breech bolt 36 by a bolt sear 51 so thatthe bolt 36 returns to its battery position (FIG. 6). The breech is thenclosed and locked ready to fire. Forward travel of the bolt 36 alsourges the carrier 44 down to its lowered position wherein it is latcheduntil a subsequent cartridge presses against the carrier release latch50. Other mechanism (FIG. 10 through 13) retains the carrier 14 in itslowered position without regard to the latch 50 whenever the bolt 36 isin battery position.

With the breech block forward in battery position, a fingerJike, springactuated cartridge stop 52 depending from the under surface of thebreech bolt 36 is brought into cartridge-retaining position behind themagazine. Additional cartridges 53, 54 may then be guided into theloading aperture and pushed forward until the base 55 of the lastcartridge loaded 54 passes the front tip of the cartridge stop 52. Asmay be seen from FIG. 7, the cartridge stop 52 is spring biased downbehind the base 55 of the cartridge 54 and is located to hold thecartridge 54 far enough into the magazine to ensure that the loadingaperture 27 is open for the quick reception of subsequent cartridges asthey are pushed in sequence against the base of the immediatelypreceding cartridge.

Because the magazine tube length is limited, or often plugged inconformance with hunting regulations, so that it is capable of receivingonly a predetermined number of cartridges, eventually there isinsufficient room remaining in the magazine to receive an additionalcartridge. Thus, the last cartridge 56 loaded into the firearm cannot bepushed far enough for its base to pass the front end of the cartridgestop 52. Release of this cartridge by the thumb allows it to move to therear to a position on the carrier 44 against the carrier latch 50. Thiscartridge 56 is held from falling out of the gun to pressure of themagazine spring transmitted through the cartridge to the latch 50 andtrigger guard 46. In this condition, as best shown by FIG. 8, thefirearm is fully loaded.

An important aspect of this invention, as compared to other firearmshaving tubular magazines, is that the center of gravity of the storedcartridges is relatively closer to the receiver. In effect, the volumeof stored cartridges is shifted to the rear one full cartridge length.This shift enhances the feel or balancce of the firearm.

A glance into the loading aperture will indicate to the shooter that hisgun is fully loaded if he sees a cartridge reposing on the carrier.Normally, whenever the gun is in less than fully loaded condition, theloading aperture will be free to receive another cartridge. Thus, if ashot is fired and the cartridge 56 is loaded into the chamber aspreviously described, the remaining cartridges 53, 54 are held in storedcondition in the magazine.

The illustrated firearm functions in afashion inherent in semi-automaticguns of the type known to the art, but the principles of operation ofthe present invention are..equally applicable to manually operatedfirearms such as slide action or pump shotguns. In the illustratedinstance, after a shot is fired, the spend cartridge will be ejectedthrough the ejection opening 28 (FIG. 2). Any cartridge reposing on thecarrier at this moment has necessarily maintained the latch 50inunlatched conditridge is inserted into the loading aperture'27 betweenthe second and third shots.

A cartridge arrester 58 is mounted within the receiver and functions toretain the cartridges stored within the magazine when the carrier 44 islifted. Although the cartridge arrester 58 may be mounted to coact witha variety of working pieces within the receiver or trigger guard, it isshown pivoted from the trigger guard 46 on an axle 59 so that itautomatically rises when the carrier 44 lifts and is depressed, as shownin FIG. 6, when'the carrier 44 returns to its lowered position. Therearmost cartridge 54 (FIG. 7) in the magazine is thus allowed to cometo rest against the cartridge stop 52. It is then free to follow thebreech bolt in its rearward travel to loading position in the event noadditional cartridge is loaded through the loading aperture 27 prior tomovement of the bolt 36 following either discharge or manual ejection ofa cartridge from the chamber 29. If another cartridge is introducedthrough the loading aperture, it will push any cartridge resting againstthe cartridge stop sufficiently forward in position to be inherentlyarrested by the cartridge arrester 58 as it lifts in response torearward vmovement of the bolt 36.

fashion beyond the cartridge stop 52, the side loading aperturev 27 willalways be empty unless the gun is in fully loaded condition. Theautomatic loading action of the gun for firing successive shots isvirtually identical whether the gunfis fully loaded or not, i.e.,whether or not a cartridge is at rest atop'the carrier 44. If acartridge is at rest on the carrier, the remaining cartridges are heldforward of the tip end of the arrester 58 so that they are held by thearrester 58 when the carrier 44 is lifted into loading position. Withthe carrier 44 in its lowered position, the arrester 58 is always helddown so that the last cartridge in the magazine advances to thecartridge stop 52. Accordingly, the mere fact that the side loadingaperture 27 is in receptive condition to receive another cartridge doesnot prevent automatic and rapid loading of stored cartridges into thechamber. The rearmost stored cartridge will follow the breech bolt anddepress the latch 50 so that it is loaded at precisely the same instantthe carrier would otherwise load a cartridge already at rest on thecarrier.

FIGS. 10 through 13 illustrate the fashion in which the carrier 44 islatched into its lowered position or released in response to theposition of the bolt 36. The mechanism illustrated prevents a cartridgeon the carrier 44 from lifting up into contact with the bolt 36 when itis in battery position. As shown by FIG. 10, the carrier 44 is retainedin lowered position by a latch element 60 spring-biased to overlap oneside rail 44a of the carrier 44. The latch element 60 is carried at theend of a spring member 61 which is mounted by a pair of spaced pins 62adjacent a recess 63 milled into a wall of the receiver.

As best shown by FIG. 12, a linkage member 65 is attached to the bolt 36so that it reciprocates within the receiver as the bolt 36 moves backand forth from battery to loading position. A dog element 66 extends upfrom the spring member 61 in position to register with a ramp surface 67formed in the under surface of the linkage member 65. (See FIG. 13.)

In operation, as the bolt 36 moves to the rear, the linkage member ispulled back so that the ramp 67 engages the dog 66, thereby urging thespring member 61 into the recess 63. As aa consequence, the latchelement 60 is forced back out of contact with the rail 44a so that thecarrier 44 is free to lift (assuming the carrier latch element 50 isreleased). When the bolt returns to battery position, the carrierprecedes it slightly into lowered position where it is normally held bythe latch 50. Return of the bolt 36 to battery position inherentlyreleases the dog 66 from contact with the ramp 67 so that the latchelement 66 is again urged across the rail 44a.

Reference herein to certain details of the illustrated or preferredembodiment should not be taken as limit ing the scope of the appendedclaims which themselves recite those details regarded as essential tothe invention.

I claim:

1. In a side loading firearm having a barrel, a tubular magazinesuspended beneath the barrel, a chamber bored into one end of saidbarrel, a receiver attached to communicate with said magazine and saidchamber, means within the magazine to urge cartridges therein towardsaid receiver, and a breech bolt reciprocally mounted within saidreceiver to alternate between an open (loading) position and a closed(battery) position, the improvement which comprises:

a loading aperture in one side of the receiver constituting means forloading cartridges into the magazine;

a carrier member mounted within the receiver with a lowered positionbeneath the loading aperture and a lifted position to at least near thebottom of the chamber constituting means for carrying cartridges fromthe bottom portion of the receiver to the upper portion of the receiverin approximate alignment with the chamber when the breech bolt is in itsloading position;

a latch mounted within the receiver biased normally to retain saidcarrier member in its lowered position and located to be released bycontact of a cartridge resting on said carrier member so that saidcarrier member, once latched in its lowered position, will remain insaid lowered position, except when both the breech bolt is in itsloading position and a cartridge is located atop said member;

a cartridge stop member mounted to depend from said breech bolt so thatwhen said breech bolt is in its battery position, said stop memberconstitutes means for retaining any cartridges stored in the magazinesufficiently far into the magazine to keep said loading apertureunobstructed so that there is room for another cartridge to be insertedtherethrough;

means associated with said breech bolt for ejecting a cartridge fromsaid chamber when the breech bolt is moved from its battery position toits loading position;

means associated with said breech bolt to force said carrier member intoits lowered position when said breech bolt moves to its batteryposition;

cartridge arrester means associated with said receiver normally held ina blocking position to prevent cartridges stored in the magazine fromentering the receiver when the carrier member is in its lifted position;and

means associated with said cartridge arrester and said breech bolt formoving said arrester away from its blocking position in response tomoving of the breech bolt to battery position, thereby to permit a 8cartridge from the magazine to come to rest against said cartridge stopmember.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said cartridge stop member ismounted on said breech bolt to travel with the breech bolt to the rearwhen the breech bolt is moved to its loading position so that acartridge resting against said cartridge stop will move to the rear torest atop said carrier member unless a cartridge is already at rest atopsaid carrier member, said stop member being further adapted to permittravel of the breech bolt to the rear whether or not a cartridge is atrest on said carrier member.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said cartridge arrester means isassociated with a trigger guard assembly mounted within the bottomportion of the receiver.

4. The improvement of claim 1 further including a latch element normallyretaining said carrier in its lowered position when the bolt is in itsbattery position, operable to release said carrier when said bolt is inits loading position.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPATENT NO. I 3 919 DATED November 18, 1975 lN\/ ENTOR(S) Val A. BrowningIt is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

C01. 1, line 41, change "firarms" to --firearnrs-;

Col. 3, line 60, change "Fig.3" to -Fig. 4;

Col. 4, line 50, change "to" to --by--;

Col. 4, line 59, change "balancce" to --balance--;

C01. 4, line 21, change "14" to -44---;

Col. 5, line 11, change "THe" to --The-;

Col. 6, line 21, change "aa" to -a-.

Signed and Salad this thirteenth I) 3y Of April 1976 [SEAL] A ttes t:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting ()jll'icer ('ummissimuruflarvrrrs and Trademarks UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Q PATENT N0. 3,919,800

DATED November 18, 1975 INV ENTOR(S) Val A. Brownin It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line 41, change "firarms" to --firearms;

C01. 3, line 60, change "Fig.3" to --Fig. 4;

Q Col. 4, line 50, change "to" to by-;

Col. 4, line 59, change "balancce" to -balance--;

Col. 4, line 21, change "14" to -44;

O Col. 5, line 11, change. "THe" to The-;

C01. 6, line 21, change "aa" to -a--.

Signed and Scaled this t thirteenth Day or April 1976 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner nflarcinsand Trademarks

1. In a side loading firearm having a barrel, a tubular magazinesuspended beneath the barrel, a chamber bored into one end of saidbarrel, a receiver attached to communicate with said magazine and saidchamber, means within the magazine to urge cartridges therein towardsaid receiver, and a breech bolt reciprocally mounted within saidreceiver to alternate between an open (loading) position and a closed(battery) position, the improvement which comprises: a loading aperturein one side of the receiver constituting means for loading cartridgesinto the magazine; a carrier member mounted within the receiver with alowered position beneath the loading aperture and a lifted position toat least near the bottom of the chamber constituting means for carryingcartridges from the bottom portion of the receiver to the upper portionof the receiver in approximate alignment with the chamber when thebreech bolt is in its loading position; a latch mounted within thereceiver biased normally to retain said carrier member in its loweredposition and located to be released by contact of a cartridge resting onsaid carrier member so that said carrier member, once latched in itslowered position, will remain in said lowered position, except when boththe breech bolt is in its loading position and a cartridge is locatedatop said member; a cartridge stop member mounted to depend from saidbreech bolt so that when said breech bolt is in its battery position,said stop member constitutes means for retaining any cartridges storedin the magazine sufficiently far into the magazine to keep said loadingaperture unobstructed so that there is room for another cartridge to beinserted therethrough; means associated with said breech bolt forejecting a cartridge from said chamber when the breech bolt is movedfrom its battery position to its loading position; means associated withsaid breech bolt to force said carrier member into its lowered positionwhen said breech bolt moves to its battery position; cartridge arrestermeans associated with said receiver normally held in a blocking positionto prevent cartridges stored in the magazine from entering the receiverwhen the carrier member is in its lifted position; and means associatedwith said cartridge arrester and said breech bolt for moving saidarrester away from its blocking position in response to moving of thebreech bolt to battery position, thereby to permit a cartridge from themagazine to come to rest against said cartridge stop member.
 2. Theimprovement of claim 1 wherein said cartridge stop member is mounted onsaid breech bolt to travel with the breech bolt to the rear when thebreech bolt is moved to its loading position so that a cartridge restingagainst said cartridge stop will move to the rear to rest atop saidcarrier member unless a cartridge is already at rest atop said carriermember, said stop member being further adapted to permit travel of thebreech bolt to the rear whether or not a cartridge is at rest on saidcarrier member.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said cartridgearrester means is associated with a trigger guard assembly mountedwithin the bottom portion of the receiver.
 4. The improvement of claim 1further including a latch element normally retaining said carrier in itslowered position when the bolt is in its battery position, operable torelease said carrier when said bolt is in its loading posItion.